Artistic view of a Male Pteronarcys californica (Pteronarcyidae) (Giant Salmonfly) Stonefly Adult from the Gallatin River in Montana

Salmonflies
Pteronarcys californica

The giant Salmonflies of the Western mountains are legendary for their proclivity to elicit consistent dry-fly action and ferocious strikes.

Cedar sweepers line the fertile spring creek headwaters of a famous trout stream.

From the Bois Brule River in Wisconsin

Stream photos

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Skwala (Large Springfly) Stonefly Nymph Skwala (Large Springfly) Stonefly Nymph

Dorsal view of a Skwala (Perlodidae) (Large Springfly) Stonefly Nymph from the Yakima River in Washington

This Skwala nymph still has a couple months left to go before hatching, but it's still a good representative of its species, which was extremely abundant in my sample for a stonefly of this size. It's obvious why the Yakima is known for its Skwala hatch.

6 Recently Added Photos

27" brown trout, my largest ever. It was the sub-dominant fish in its pool. After this, I hooked the bigger one, but I couldn't land it.

Troutnut is a project started in 2003 by salmonid ecologist Jason "Troutnut" Neuswanger to help anglers and fly tyers unabashedly embrace the entomological side of the sport. Learn more about Troutnut or support the project for an enhanced experience here.

North Carolina Hellgrammites

This topic is about the Insect Family Corydalidae

Hellgrammites are the vicious larvae of the Dobsonflies, some of the only trout stream insects which pose a biting threat to the angler. The pincers of the adult are even more frightening that the larva's, and they're aggressive enough to use them once in a while.

This family's life cycle does not create good dry fly opportunities, but the larvae may be eaten by trout year-round. They are a secret told only by stomach samples of well-fed trout.

Example specimens

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Female Chauliodes rastricornis (Fishfly) Hellgrammite Adult

Lateral view of a Female Chauliodes rastricornis (Corydalidae) (Fishfly) Hellgrammite Adult from Devil's Creek in Wisconsin

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Nigronia serricornis (Fishfly) Hellgrammite Larva

A fishfly larva. This fishfly (genus Nigonia) is closely related in appearance to Hellgrammites

Artistic view of a Nigronia serricornis (Corydalidae) (Fishfly) Hellgrammite Larva from Salmon Creek in New York

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Nigronia serricornis (Fishfly) Hellgrammite Larva

Dorsal view of a Nigronia serricornis (Corydalidae) (Fishfly) Hellgrammite Larva from unknown in Wisconsin

Gandoff
Posts: 1

Gandoff on Mar 9, 2007March 9th, 2007, 2:02 pm EST

I have been fly fishing a lot over the past two years in the mountains of NC and Va. I have pumped the contents of many trout, and 2 out of 3 times, I find Hellgrammites in large brown trout, 18"+. perhaps they are not as numerous as caddis', but nether are crawfish, and wild trout like to eat them too!
As noted on several other replies, the warm bridge, and warm rocks, if you want to reasearch Hellgrammites, this is a good place to start.

Troutnut